By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news will post preview stories for all 10 Shawnee County high school football programs over the coming days, leading into the opening games of the 2026 season on Sept. 3 and 4.
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The 2026 high school football season will be a new beginning for Cair Paravel Latin football in two major ways.
The Lions will be moving back to the Eight-Man ranks this fall after two seasons in 11-man and will be doing so under new head coach Randall Bond, a former CPLS assistant who takes over for Doug Bonura.
Junior Chase Hastert (left) returns as Cair Paravel Latin's starting quarterback for the second straight season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After posting a 9-3 record and advancing to the Eight-Man Division I state semifinals in 2023, Cair Paravel Latin is coming off back-to-back two-win 11-man campaigns, including a 2-6 mark a year ago.
"The 2026 CPLS Lions enter a new era after graduating five offensive starters, including All-State, all-county and all-league standout running back and return specialist Tobias Bonura,'' said Bond, who served as a Cair Paravel assistant for seven seasons after posting a 112-35 record at the middle school level in Holton.
"The Lions also face significant turnover on both sides of the ball, but the program remains well-positioned thanks to the strong foundation established by retired head coach Douglas Bonura.''
Bond, who will be making his debut as a head high school coach, will build this year's team around six key returners and a group of promising newcomers.
Top senior returners for the Lions include running back/linebacker Cole Haubauld, offensive lineman/defensive lineman Jackson Kaberline, linebacker/defensive end Cole Stafford and tight end/defensive end Sammy Lichte.
Cair Paravel also returns junior quarterback/linebacker/defensive back Chase Hastert and sophomore running back/wide receiver/defensive back Matteo Gossard.
Top newcomers include sophomore offensive lineman/defensive lineman Levi Collins, sophomore tight end/defensive end/linebacker Landon Kaberline, freshman running back/defensive back Jonas Everhart and freshman tight end/defensive end Evan Marichal.
Senior Cole Haubauld (left) will play running back for Cair Paravel this fall after earning all-league recognition at offensive guard as a junior. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hastert returns for his second season as Cair Paravel's starting quarterback this fall while Haubauld will play running back this season after earning all-league honors at offensive guard a year ago.
"The goal is to create a balanced, physical offense capable of attacking defenses in multiple ways,'' Bond said.
"The Lions are committed to be a disciplined, tough and relentlessly competitive football team. With a talented group of returning players and a new direction, the 2026 Lions are eager to embrace the challenge of writing the next chapter in the program's history.''
For the third straight season the Lions will play their home games at Washburn University's Yager Stadium, beginning with a Sept. 11 home contest against Stanton County.
The Lions will also have home games against Rural Vista on Sept. 25, against Pleasanton on Oct. 2 and Chase County on Oct. 16.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN
2026 football schedule
(Home games at Yager Stadium)
September -- 4 at Erie, 11 Stanton County, 18 at Troy, 25 Rural Vista.
October -- 2 Pleasanton, 9 at Lyndon, 16 Chase County, 23 at Northern Heights.
Next up: Hayden.
